Irregular flow steam conditioner

ABSTRACT

A steam injection device for a vertical steam conditioning chamber for particulate material has one or more hollow modules having substantially conical tops and open bottoms arrayed along a support column extending from below the conditioning chamber to a point above the chamber. Steam for conditioning is supplied preferably through the support column in such a way that it uniformly permeates the particles along the height of the conditioning chamber as well as across its cross section. Additionally, by employing modules having other than symmetrically conical tops, it is possible to impart an irregular flow path to the particles being conditioned in the chamber. This permits uniform exposure of the particles to the steam in the conditioning chamber and, thus, promotes uniform conditioning.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/259,100, filed Jun. 13, 1994, which is a division of application Ser. No. 08/061,891, filed May 14, 1993, all abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to equipment for processing particulate materials and more particularly to a steam injection housing for a vertical steam conditioning chamber.

Processing of particulate materials such as plastic pellets, feed grains, or other particles frequently requires treatment with steam to heat, moisturize, and possibly soften the particles for subsequent processing. In many cases, this treatment or steam conditioning is accomplished in a vertical chamber in which the steam flows upward in a counterflow direction to the downward flowing feed grains. Typically, steam is introduced at one or more points in the housing through a steam injection nozzle which is often no more than a perforated straight piece or curved piece of pipe mounted within the chamber and connected, through a steam inlet, to a steam manifold and source. In all cases, the form of the injection device is dictated by the geometry of the chamber in order to provide uniform exposure of the particles to the conditioning steam. Perforated pipe injectors, however, have at least one serious shortcoming. They are susceptible to being plugged by partially conditioned moist and soft particles. Another objection to such injectors is that the distribution of conditioning steam across the chamber is not uniform and that some of the particles are not completely conditioned as a result of this nonuniformity. Finally, because of their tubular shape, conventional steam injectors promote bridging of particles which jams the conditioning chamber.

The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, this is accomplished by providing a steam injection device, for a vertical conditioning chamber for particulate materials, comprising one or more hollow modules having a substantially conical top and an open bottom; means for supporting said one or more hollow modules within said conditioning chamber; and means for supplying steam to said one or more hollow modules.

The foregoing and other aspects will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention as applied to a round steam chamber and illustrating three different support leg configurations;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation view of a conditioning chamber illustrating the irregular steam distribution and the ,irregular flow path of particles through the conditioning chamber;

FIG. 2a is a fragmentary side view of steam manifold shown in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 3a-3h illustrate the orientation of the steam injection modules which produces the irregular flow path of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a fragmentary elevation view of an alternate support means for the injection modules of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a further embodiment of the steam injection modules and the conditioning chamber; and

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a further embodiment of the steam injection modules and the conditioning chamber.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the steam injection module 300 of the present invention. In this example, sidewall 310 is substantially cylindrical, the top 320 is substantially conical, and imperforate while support legs 330 may have any of the three forms shown here--namely, a "U" shape or round top 340, a planar slanted top 350, or a biplanar peaked top 332. It is clear that legs 330 having tops 350 and 332, in their extreme cases, could consist of one vertical side and one slanted side 350, or two slanted sides 332 only. In cross section, these two extremes would resemble a lean-to and an A-frame structure, respectively when sidewalls 331 have become vanishingly small.

Support legs 330 serve not only to support module 300 within the conditioning chamber, but also provide a path 325 through which steam can be supplied to the module from the wall of the steam chamber as well as, depending upon the leg profiles or mixtures thereof, deflection of the particles being conditioned as they travel downward past legs 330. It is contemplated that at least one of the support legs has an open bottom as does that portion of module 300 bounded by conical top and wall 310. As particles travel downward through the conditioning chamber they are deflected both radially and tangentially by the modules 300 which are arrayed along the centerline of the chamber. This provides a mixing action to the particles which results in more uniform exposure to the steam escaping outwardly through the open bottoms of the modules. Note that the slanted tops and the conic top are preferably at an angle greater than 45 degrees to the horizontal. This steepness discourages the initiation of bridging and jamming which may otherwise result from particles sticking to upper surfaces of the module.

FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3a-3h further illustrate features of the invention. These figures show a conditioning chamber having steam injection modules at eight different levels. Each module 300 receives a supply of steam through steam inlet port 125 in the wall of conditioning chamber 100. Starting at steam manifold 210 which is controlled by shutoff valve 205, piping 211-218, in this example, extends upward and connects to each steam inlet port 125. Steam conduits 211-218 may be arranged as shown in FIG. 2a, each conduit extending upward from manifold 210 and each controlled by its own shutoff valve; or each conduit may branch from a single vertical conduit. In the case shown in FIG. 2a, conduit 211 will require the smallest piping since its run is the shortest of all, while conduit 218 will require the largest diameter. Intermediate conduits may be of intermediate sizes between those of 211 and 218. By this method, a given manifold pressure will provide a relatively constant delivery pressure for the conditioning steam throughout the conditioning chamber. The opposite size requirement is found where conduits 211-218 branch from a single vertical conduit. In this case, conduit 211 has the largest diameter and conduit 218 has the smallest. This is because conduit 211 must carry the full volume of steam required for all steam conduits 211-218, while conduit 212-218 each require progressively smaller diameters since they support a smaller volume flow rate. The pipes branching from the single vertical conduit to the steam inlet ports 125 are all of approximately the same size. Thus, by taking into account the flow resistance of pipes of differing lengths and diameters, it is possible to balance the steam delivery throughout a relatively large conditioning chamber 100 using only a single shutoff valve 205.

The irregular flow path previously described with respect to FIG. 1 results from the varying orientations of the steam injection modules illustrated in FIGS. 3a-3h. As the grain particles flow downward through the conditioning chamber 100 they are constrained to flow around legs 330 supporting module 300. Note that, in this view, legs 330 are seen to project outward from conic top 320 of the module. As a limiting case of the design of module 300, in which wall 310 is reduced to zero height, conic top 320 will constitute the total surface of the open bottomed module. The varying orientations of the modules requires offsetting of steam inlet ports 125 in the surface of chamber 100. It is contemplated that from the upward projecting steam conduits 211-218, feeds may be easily made to steam inlet ports 125 which are offset by 45 degrees to either side of-the upwardly projecting steam conduit. Using only straight pipe and standard elbows, it is a simple matter to vary the orientations of the multiple steam injection modules thereby imposing a tortuous irregular path on the downwardly flowing grain particles. This improves the uniformity of conditioning of the particles.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the steam injection modules 400 are supported by a single support column 420 extending from an anchor point 425 below chamber bottom 450 of the steam chamber upward to an anchor point 425 above the top 500 of the steam chamber. This support column 420 is located on the centerline of the steam chamber, and has spaced along its length a plurality of injection modules 400, as required. Two embodiments of the module 400 are shown here, one having a cylindrical sidewall 410 and a conic top 420, the other having only a conic top 420. This second module is the special case previously described with respect to the modules of FIG. 1 in which sidewall 410 has become vanishingly small and in effect has disappeared.

In this embodiment, steam may be fed from a point (not shown) below chamber bottom 450 through support column 420 and distributed to module 400 through ports 421 in support column 420 which now serves also as a steam supply conduit. By properly selecting the pipe size for column 420 and the size and number of ports 421, distribution of steam on the vertical axis of the conditioning chamber may be maintained uniform or nonuniform as desired.

For ease of illustration, the modules of FIGS. 1,3, and 4 have been shown as having circular cross sections, but it should be understood that, in order to impart an irregular flow path to the particles being conditioned, modifications to such circular cross sections may be employed.

The steam distribution system described in this disclosure provides a previously unavailable versatility to the conditioning chamber. Thus, with a minimum of retrofit, an existing chamber can be adapted for conditioning of anyone of a number of different materials. This is accomplished by the steam injection device of the present invention without unduly restricting the flow, of particles being conditioned, downward through the conditioning chamber. One additional advantage of the well supported steam injection modules of the present invention lies in their ability to provide some weight bearing support and to thereby reduce structural reinforcement requirements for the lower portion of the steam conditioning chamber.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a further embodiment of the steam injection module 300. In both FIGURES, the clearance between the sidewall of each steam injection module 300 and the sidewall of the conditioning chamber 11 increases as the material flows downward. In FIG. 5, the diameter of a steam injection module 300 is smaller than the diameter of the steam injection module 300 which is next above it. In FIG. 6, the conditioning chamber 11 is comprised of a plurality of conditioning chamber segments 12 and the diameter of each chamber segment is larger than the diameter of the next chamber segment above it. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A steam injection device, for a vertical conditioning chamber for feed grain, comprising:at least one hollow module having a substantially conical imperforate top and an open bottom; means for supporting said at least one hollow module within said conditioning chamber the means for supporting said at least one hollow module comprising a single column extending from an anchored point below said conditioning chamber to an anchored point above said conditioning chamber along a vertical centerline thereof; and means for supplying steam to said at least one hollow module.
 2. A steam injection device, for a vertical conditioning chamber for feed grain, comprising:at least one hollow module having a substantially conical imperforate top and an omen bottom; means for supporting said at least one hollow module within said conditioning chamber the means for supporting said at least one hollow module comprises at least one hollow support leg extending from said hollow module to the conditioning chamber; and means for supporting steam to said at least one hollow module.
 3. The steam injection device of claim 2, wherein at least one hollow support leg has an open bottom.
 4. The steam injection device of claim 2, wherein the number of hollow support legs is three.
 5. A steam injection device for a vertical conditioning chamber for feed grain, comprising:a means for distributing steam within the conditioning chamber, the means for distributing steam comprising a plurality of hollow modules, each module having an imperforate conical top and an open bottom, each module having a plurality of hollow support legs extending from the module to the conditioning chamber, the means for distributing steam permitting steam to be distributed from the hollow module only through the hollow module open bottom.
 6. The steam injection device according to claim 5, wherein the means for distributing steam further includes the hollow support legs having an open bottom, the hollow support legs being in fluid communication with the hollow module.
 7. A device, for distributing steam within a vertical conditioning chamber for treating downflowing grain material comprising:a hollow module having a sidewall, a substantially conical imperforate top, and an open bottom; at least one hollow support leg means, extending outwardly from the sidewall of said module to a sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supporting said hollow module within said conditioning chamber; means, in said sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supplying steam to said hollow support leg means; and at least one port in the sidewall of said hollow module, said port permitting passage of steam between said hollow support leg means and said hollow module.
 8. A device, for distributing steam within a vertical conditioning chamber for treating downflowing particulate materials, comprising:a hollow module having a sidewall, a substantially conical top, and an open bottom; at least one hollow support leg means, extending outwardly from the sidewall of said module to a sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supporting said hollow module within said conditioning chamber, said hollow support leg means comprising a closed, slanted, planar top surface and an open bottom surface; and means, in said sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supplying steam to said hollow support leg means; and at least one port in the sidewall of said hollow module, said port permitting passage of steam between said hollow support leg means and said hollow module.
 9. A device, for distributing steam within a vertical conditioning chamber for treating downflowing particulate materials, comprising:a hollow module having a sidewall, a substantially conical top, and an open bottom; at least one hollow support leg means, extending outwardly from the sidewall of said module to a sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supporting said hollow module within said conditioning chamber, said hollow support leg means comprising a closed, rounded top surface and an open bottom surface; and means, in said sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supplying steam to said hollow support leg means; and at least one port in the sidewall of said hollow module, said port permitting passage of steam between said hollow support leg means and said hollow module.
 10. A device, for distributing steam within a vertical conditioning chamber for treating downflowing particulate materials, comprising:a hollow module having a sidewall, a substantially conical top, and an open bottom; at least one hollow support leg means, extending outwardly from the sidewall of said module to a sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supporting said hollow module within said conditioning chamber, said hollow support leg means comprising a longitudinally peaked top surface and an open bottom surface; and means, in said sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supplying steam to said hollow support leg means; and at least one port in the sidewall of said hollow module, said port permitting passage of steam between said hollow support leg means and said hollow module.
 11. A device, for distributing steam within a vertical conditioning chamber for treating downflowing particulate materials, comprising:a hollow module having a sidewall, a substantially conical top, and an open bottom; at least one hollow support leg means, extending outwardly from the sidewall of said module to a sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supporting said hollow module within said conditioning chamber; means, in said sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supplying steam to said hollow support leg means; at least one port in the sidewall of said hollow module, said port permitting passage of steam between said hollow support leg means and said hollow module; a plurality of said hollow modules being vertically aligned along a vertical centerline of said conditioning chamber; and means for providing greater clearance between the sidewall of each said hollow module and the sidewall of said conditioning chamber than that which is provided between the hollow module above and the sidewall of the conditioning chamber.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the means for providing greater clearance between the sidewall of each said hollow module and the sidewall of said conditioning chamber than that which is provided between the hollow module above and the sidewall of the conditioning chamber, comprises a substantially cylindrical sidewall for each module, said sidewall having a smaller diameter than that of the sidewall of the next hollow module above.
 13. The device of claim 11, wherein the means for providing greater clearance between the sidewall of each said hollow module and the sidewall of said conditioning chamber than that which is provided between the hollow module above and the sidewall of the conditioning chamber comprises a plurality of conditioning chamber segments, one chamber segment per hollow module, each chamber segment having a larger diameter than that of the next chamber segment above.
 14. The device of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of hollow support leg means extending outwardly from each said hollow module comprises a closed, slanted, planar top surface and an open bottom surface.
 15. The device of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of hollow support leg means extending outwardly from each said hollow module comprises a closed rounded top surface and an open bottom surface.
 16. The device of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of hollow support leg means extending outwardly from each said hollow module comprises a longitudinally peaked top surface and an open bottom surface.
 17. A device, for distributing steam within a vertical conditioning chamber for treating downflowing particulate materials, comprising:a hollow module having a sidewall, a substantially conical imperforate top, and an open bottom; at least one hollow support leg means, extending outwardly from the sidewall of said module to a sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supporting said hollow module within said conditioning chamber, the hollow support means having an open bottom surface; means, in said sidewall of said conditioning chamber, for supplying steam to said hollow support leg means; and at least one port in the sidewall of said hollow module, said port permitting passage of steam between said hollow support leg means and said hollow module. 